Roshan Giri's peal to state education minister Partha Chatterjee

1:25 PM

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West Bengal

DARJEELING 5 July 2016 Gorkhaland Territorial Administration sabhasad Roshan Giri today said the state government has given a positive response to the demand for regularising teachers serving on voluntary basis in various high schools and higher secondary schools in the hills.

Today, Giri and the three MLAs from the hills called on state education minister Partha Chatterjee in Kolkata and served a memorandum of demand following which they got the assurance. Speaking from Kolkata, Giri said, “We met the state education minister today and submitted a memorandum of our demands regarding regularising the voluntary teachers. The minister gave us a patient hearing and positive assurance.”

At present, 519 teachers are serving voluntarily in 129 junior, high and higher secondary schools in the hills. However, these teachers now want to be regularised and have started various forms of agitation under the aegis of the Janmukti Insecure Secondary Teachers’ Organisation (JISTO) to pressurise the state government.

Roshan Giri accompanied by hill MLAs Amar Singh Rai, Sarita Rai and Rohit Sharma
met state education minister Partha Chatterjee

Besides regularisation, the GTA also wants the state government to form an ad-hoc selection board, giving permanent status to the headmasters of various schools currently holding temporary posts and a raise in salary of the voluntary teachers.

“There are schools in the hills that have headmasters who have been given temporary charge. We want permanent status for them for the smooth functioning of the schools. We also raised the issue of enhancement of salary of the voluntary teachers as assured by the state government in 2014,” Giri said.

According to the GTA sabhasad, the education minister assured the delegation that the process to regularise the voluntary teachers would start on receiving the green signal from the state chief secretary. “We have been assured that the minister would start the process to absorb the voluntary teachers, form an ad-hoc selection board and enhance salary once the state chief secretary gives the directions,” said Giri.

When asked for his comment on the development, JISTO coordinator Amit Gurung said, “We have not received any information yet about the meeting between the GTA and the state education minister. We will first wait for the details of the proposed ad-hoc selection board to see if it benefits us and comment only then.”

A discrepancy to be noted here is that on May 20 last month, the joint secretary of the state school education department had written to the home and hill affairs department stating that regularisation, absorption and appointment of voluntary teachers in the GTA could not be entertained until they secure their candidature through the West Bengal School Service Commission, which ironically, has remained defunct in the hills since 2003.

Telegraph - The GTA Sabha member in charge of education, Roshan Giri, met state education minister Partha Chatterjee today and demanded that an ad hoc selection board be formed to make the 500-odd voluntary teachers in the hills permanent.

Giri, who was accompanied by hill MLAs Amar Singh Rai, Sarita Rai and Rohit Sharma, said: "We have demanded that an ad hoc selection board be formed to absorb the 519 voluntary teachers in the hills. Since 2003, the SSC (School Service Commission) has been lying defunct and that is why the managing committees of the schools have had to recruit voluntary teachers. After having served for so long, it is justified that their (the teachers') services are regularised."

Chatterjee, however, said there would be no separate system for recruiting hill teachers. "The system followed in the plains will have to be followed in the hills as well," he said after meeting Giri at Bikash Bhavan in Calcutta.

Via   EOI and Telegraph

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Darjeeling MLA Amar Rai on the debate on the Governor's address

9:53 PM

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Politics

Writes Amar Singh Rai

I was allotted 5 minutes to make a presentation on the debate on the Governor's address.
I thanked the Speaker for giving me the opportunity to address the august House.
I started my speech on the " charm" of Democracy. It's this" charm" that gives us the opportunity to express our views, to discuss and debate, to raise issues, to interact, to develop friendship and know members, to share and care.

I took up 3 issues mentioned in the Address
1. An " inclusive" approach for development which would be pro- people and cater to the marginalised sections.
2. The plight of Tea Garden labours.
3. Scope of Education.

Darjeeling MLA Amar Rai

The inclusive approach is welcomed and hope the Govt. applies it without disparity.
I pointed out the decent instance of the Govt decision to raise the pay of Group C and D casual workers in GTA. This has led to an agitation by the Group A and B Staff which is affecting the work of the GTA. These should also be included in the decision of the Govt immediately.
On the issue of the plight of Tea garden labourers I made a mention of the long standing problems faced by them. The immediate one being the problem faced by the Gardens owned by the Alchemist Group. I Appealed to the Govt. to look into this immediately.

Regarding the scope of Education I made my point that school education is in doldrums in the Hills due to the non establishment of the School Service Commission. Requested the Govt. to take immediate steps to establish the School Service Commission, College Service Commission and the Subordinate Staff Selection Commission as all these were agreed to upon in the MOA and included in the GTA Act.

I also raised the important issues of Land Rights and Minimum Wages but time did not permit.However these issues were raised by Dr. Rohit yesterday.

विधानसभामा आफ्नो सम्बोधनको क्रममा दार्जीलिङ विधानसभा समष्टिक्षेत्रका विधायक अमरसिहँ राईले दार्जीलिङ पहाड़सम्बन्धित तीनवटा मुद्दाहरू क्रमैले सबै वर्गका मानिसहरूको समान विकास, उत्तर बगांलसितै दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का चियाकमानहरूको आर्थिक उत्थान अनि पहाड़को शैक्षिक विकासको पक्षमा राज्य सरकारको ध्यानाकर्षण गराएका छन्।

गत 17 जूनको दिन राज्यपाल केशरीनाथ तिवारीले समग्र राज्यवासीहरूको पक्षमा राज्यवासीहरूलाई समान विकासतिर अग्रसर गरिनुपर्ने, उत्तर बंगालक्षेत्रका चियाकमान अनि चियाश्रमिकहरूको उत्थान गरिनुपर्ने तथा राज्यमा सर्वाङ्गीन शिक्षा विकास गरिनुपर्ने विषयहरूमाथि आफ्नो वक्तव्य पेश गरेका थिए भने उक्त प्रस्तावहरूमाथि प्रतिक्रिया व्यक्त गर्नको निम्ति विधायक राईले आज 5 मिनटको समय पाएका थिए। सोही अवधिमा राज्यपालको उक्त वक्तव्यको स्वागत गर्दै उनले यी तीनवटा विषयहरूमा दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को निम्ति पनि राज्य सरकारले यी विषयहरूमाथि ध्यान दिन आवश्यक रहेको विचार व्यक्त गर्दै उक्त कुराहरू राखेका हुन्।

राज्यवासीको हितमा सरकारद्वारा शुरू गरिने विकासकार्यहरूमा दार्जीलिङ पहाड़लाई पनि समावेश गरिनुपर्ने माग राख्दै विधायक राईले राज्यवासीहरूलाई समान विकासमा दोहोराउने राज्यपालको योजनालाई स्वागत पनि गरे। गत फरवरी महीनामा सी अनि डी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरूको वेतन वृद्धि गरिएको प्रसङ्ग झिक्दै विधायक राईले उक्त दुई वर्गको मात्रै वेतन वृद्धि गरिदाँ ए अनि बी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरूले असन्तुष्ट रहेको बताउँदै दार्जीलिङ पहाड़मा पनि ए अनि बी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरू असन्तुष्ट भएर विरोध गरिरहेकोले जीटीएलाई प्रशासनिक तौरमा धेरै प्रभाव परिरहेको पनि विधायक राईले विधानसभालाई बताए। यसरी एक वर्गको हितमामात्रै कार्य नगरी सबै जनतालाई समानरूपमा विकासकार्यमा अग्रसर गराए राज्यको विकास संगसंगै शान्ति अनि सद्भावनापूर्ण माहौल पनि सृजना हुने पनि राईले आफ्नो सम्बोधनको क्रममा भने।

यसबाहेक दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का चियाश्रमिकहरूको उत्थानको निम्ति पनि राज्य सरकारले सोच्न अनि पदक्षेप लिन आवश्यक रहेको पनि राईले विचार व्यक्त गरे। दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का चियाकमानहरूमा धेरै प्रकारको समस्याहरू रहिआएको र कतिपय चियाकमानहरू बन्दावस्थामा रहेको पनि उल्लेख गर्दै यसलाई व्यवस्थित गर्नको निम्ति राज्य सरकारको हस्तक्षेप आवश्यक रहेको पनि उनले बताए।

यसै सन्दर्भमा अल्कामिस्ट ग्रुप अधिनस्थ रहेका दार्जीलिङ पहाड़ अनि समतलक्षेत्रका यिचाकमानहरूको समस्या समाधानको निम्ति पनि राज्य सरकारले यथाशीघ्र ठोस पदक्षेप लिन आवश्यक रहेको पनि विधायक राईले विधानसभामा माग उठाए।

यसपछि दार्जीलिङको शिक्षा व्यवस्थालाई व्यवस्थित बनाउनुको निम्ति पनि राज्य सरकारको पहल आवश्यक रहेको पनि राईले बताए। जीटीए सम्झौता अनि जीटीएको कानूनमा पनि जीटीएक्षेत्रको शैक्षिक विकासको निम्ति स्कूल सर्भिस कमिशन(एस.एस.सी), कलेज सर्भिस कमिशन(सी.एस.सी) अनि सब अर्डिनेट सेलेक्सन बोर्डहरू स्थापना गरिने कुराको उल्लेख रहेको भएतापनि हालसम्म यस दिशामा कुनै पहल नभएको उल्लेख गर्दै पहाड़को शिक्षा व्यवस्था ठीक गर्न राज्य सरकारले यी विषयहरूमा अविलम्ब पहल शुरू गरिनुपर्ने पनि विधायक राईले आफ्नो सम्बोधनको क्रममा भने।

यसरी नै अब राज्यपालको सोही प्रस्तावहरूमाथि भोलि कालेबुङका विधायिका सरिता राईले पनि विधानसभामा प्रतिक्रिया व्यक्त गर्नेछिन्।
श्री अमर सिहँ राई
विधायक
दार्जीलिङ विधानसभा समष्टि।

Amar Singh Rai Official

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तीन विधायकहरूले ममता व्यानर्जीसित कालेबुङ जिल्ला गठनको घोषणाको निम्ति आभार व्यक्त गरयो

11:28 PM

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Sarita Rai

दार्जीलिङ, कालेबुङ अनि खरसाङका तीनजना विधायकहरू क्रमैले श्री अमर सिहं राई, श्रीमती सरिता राई अनि डा. रोहित शर्माले आज माननीय मुख्यमन्त्री सुश्री ममता व्यानर्जीसित भेटवार्ता गरी कालेबुङ जिल्ला गठनको घोषणाको निम्ति आभार व्यक्त गर्दै दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को जनतालाई प्रशासनिक सुविधा प्रदान गर्नुको निम्ति अझै थप जिल्ला अनि महकुमाहरू निर्माण गर्नुपर्ने माग पनि पेश गरयो।

विधानसभामा आज माननीय राज्यपाल केशरीनाथ तिवारीजीको सम्बोधन कार्यक्रमको समापनपछि तीनजना विधायकले सुश्री ममता व्यानर्जीले उनकै च्याम्बरमा गएर सौहार्दमूलक भेटघाट अनि बातचीत गरेको थियो। विशेषरूपले कालेबुङलाई जिल्ला बनाउने प्रक्रिया शुरू गरिएकोमा माननीय मुख्यमन्त्री महोदयालाई समग्र पहाड़वासीको पक्षमा धन्यबाद दिइयो। यसको साथसाथमा खरसाङ महकुमालाई पनि जिल्ला बनाइनुपर्ने, मिरिकलाई महकुमा बनाइनुपर्ने तथा दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को सर्ववृहत खण्ड विकास क्षेत्र बिजनबारीलाई पनि महकुमा बनाइनुपर्ने पनि मुख्यमन्त्रीसमक्ष अपील गरियो। पहाड़का मानिसहरूले दीर्घकालदेखि विभिन्न प्रशासनिक समस्याहरू झेलिरहेको कारणले गर्दा जिल्ला अनि महकुमाहरूको विस्तार गरिन आवश्यक रहेको पनि मुख्यमन्त्रीलाई अवगत गराइयो।

तीन विधायकहरूले ममता व्यानर्जीसित कालेबुङ जिल्ला गठनको घोषणाको निम्ति आभार व्यक्त गरयो

मुख्यमन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीले पनि पहाड़का विधायकहरूको उक्त अपीललाई सम्मान गर्दै सकरात्मक आश्वासन प्रदान गर्नुभएको छ। जिल्ला अनि महकुमा विस्तारकार्यको निम्ति थुप्रै औपचारिकता अनि पूर्वाधारहरूमाथि कार्य गर्नुपर्ने हुनाले यस विषय़मा चाड़ै कार्यान्वन गर्न नसकिने भएतापनि भविष्यमा उक्त विषयहरूमाथि राज्य सरकारले अवश्यै सकरात्मप पहल गर्ने माननीय मुख्यमन्त्री महोदयाले आश्वासन प्रदान गर्नुभएको छ।

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Gorkha MLAs took their legislature oaths in Nepali

10:03 AM

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Sarita Rai

All the hill MLAs Mrs. Sarita Rai from Kalimpong, Dr. Rohit Sharma from Kurseong and Mr. Amar Rai  Darjeeling took their legislature oaths in our mother-tongue Nepali in the West Bengal Legislature Assembly. The entire Gorkha Community have praised their action and effort to preserve our language Nepali as their voice will be representing the entire Indian Gorkha Community. We, on behalf of the entire Indian Gorkha Community has requested the 5 gorkha MLAs to take the oath in our mother mother-tongue Details here (Request to Gorkha MLAs to take an oath in Nepali Language). Thank you all for taking our request into consideration.

This is the 1st time in the History that all the three Hill MLAs have taken their oath in Nepali.

As such various Gorkha Community pro organisations, associations and institution have been repeatedly highlighting instances of Linguistic Imperialism imposed by Bengal on our land and our people and this gesture of unity and solidarity by our MLAs will go a long way in letting Bengal know that they cannot continue to take our Language and our people for granted.

From the left Mr. Amar Rai from Darjeeling Mrs. Sarita Rai from Kalimpong
and Dr. Rohit Sharma from Kurseong 

Similarly, The Gorkha MLA from Barchalla LAC Shri Ganesh Limbu took an oath in Nepali language administered by Pro-term Speaker Sjt Phani Bhusan Choudhury in Assam Assembly. We thank him for fulfilling the wish of not only the Gorkhas of Assam but entire Indian Gorkha Community.

Bimal Gurung  on his FB Wall Wrote:
दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का तीनजना विधायकहरू क्रमैले श्री अमर सिहं राई( दार्जीलिङ), डा. रोहित शर्मा (खरसाङ) अनि श्रीमती सरिता राई (कालेबुङ)-ले आज विधानसभामा विधायकको रूपमा आफ्नो मातृभाषा अर्थात् नेपाली भाषामै शपथ ग्रहण गरे।

20 अगस्त 1992 सालमा नै भारतीय सविंधानको आठौं अनुसूचिमा अन्तर्भुक्त भइसकेको नेपाली भाषामा नै शपथ ग्रहण गरेर आफ्नो मातृभाषालाई सम्मान अनि गरिमा प्रदान गरेकोमा म तीनैजना विधायकहरूलाई बधाई व्यक्त गर्दछु।

नेपाली भाषाको प्रयोगलाई लिएर गोरखाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रीय प्रशासन अघिदेखि नै निक्कै गम्भीर रहेको छ। जीटीएको अधिकारक्षेत्रमा रहेका कार्यालयहरूमा धेरै अघिदेखि नै नेपाली भाषालाई सरकारी तौरमा प्रयोग गरिदै आइरहेको छ भने प्रधानमन्त्री, मुख्यमन्त्रीलगायत अन्य मन्त्री तथा विधायकहरूलाई पनि जीटीएले नेपाली अनि अंग्रेजी भाषामा पत्राचार गर्ने गरेका छन्।

आज विधानसभामा नेपाली भाषामा विधायकको रूपमा शपथ ग्रहण गरेर पहाड़का तीनैजना विधायकहरूले नेपाली भाषाको उच्च सम्मान राखेका छन् भने यो क्रमलाई निरन्तरता दिँदै दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का समग्र विद्यार्थी, शिक्षक, अधिकारी, कर्मचारीलगायत सबैले आफ्नो मातृभाषालाई नहिच्किचाइकन प्रयोग गरेर यसको प्रतिष्ठा अनि सम्मान बनाइराख्ने पनि म आह्वान गर्छु।

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Request to Gorkha MLAs to take an oath in Nepali Language

1:08 PM

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West Bengal

21st May 2016: We, on behalf of the entire Indian Gorkha Community, first of all congratulate the newly elected Gorkha MLAs Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu from Assam and Amar Rai, Sarita Rai and Dr. Rohit Sharma West Bengal and request you all to Kindly take Oath in Nepali Language as your voice will be representing the entire Indian Gorkha Community. We want the language, "Nepali Language", which is recognized by the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to be used in such an event. The recognition achieved through such a historical  struggle popularly known as Bhasa Andolan.

Fighting for Nepali Language Recognition in Indian Constitution  - File Photo

Resham Sharma posted the following open letter on May 20 at 8:01pm in "The Gorkha Times Assam" FB fan page

As the Oath Ceremony is going to take place on 24th May, 2016 at Khanapara Field, Guwahati, We "The Gorkha Times Assam" request our two Honourable MLA Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu Sir to take Oath in Nepali Language and make our existence feel in the Assam Assembly. Your voice will be representing 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam.

[Writes in : Resham Sharma]

Dear Sir,
We Got recognition of our Language by the Indian Government on 20th August, 1992, but the use of the language in Parliament or Secretariat Bhawan is very less. We don't get much opportunity to hear our language in such Important places. As you both have finally made it to the Assam Assembly, we want to hear you taking oath in our mother language.

Previously, Honourable MLA Sanjay Raj Subba Sir did it and took oath in our language. So, the 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam is waiting to see you both taking oath in our language.
Its a Request from all of us.

Thanking You,
With Best Wishes.
Jai Hind
Jai Gorkha
Jai Aai Asom

Here is the other version of the open letter to  MLAs Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu from Assam Rupak chetri.

Writes Rupak chetri

As the Oath Ceremony is going to take place on 24th May, 2016 at Khanapara Field, Guwahati, We "The Gorkha of Nagaland blog along with Gorkha Civil bodies of Nagaland request our two Honourable MLA Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu Sir to take Oath in Nepali Language and make our existence feel in the Assam Assembly and other States where our Gorkha lived. Your voice will be representing 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam as well as the other states where our Gorkha citizens lived .

Dear Sir,
We Got recognition of our Language by the Indian Government on 20th August, 1992, but the use of the language in Parliament or Secretariat Bhawan is very less. We don't get much opportunity to hear our language in such Important places. As you both have finally made it to the Assam Assembly, we want to hear you taking oath in our mother language.

Previously, Honourable MLA Sanjay Raj Subba Sir did it and took oath in our language. So, the 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam is waiting to see you both taking oath in our language.
Its a Request from all of us.
Thanking You,

With Best Wishes.
Rupak chetri
Jai Hind
Jai Gorkha

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Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Win is a Mandate for Hill Unity

9:02 AM

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TMC

Darjeeling, Kalmpong and Kurseong 19th May 2016 The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has won all the three seats from the three constituencies in the hills, defeating the allied forces of the Jan Andolan Party, the Trinamool Congress and the Gorkha National Liberation Front. However, the victory margin was a far cry from what the party had achieved in the 2011 Assembly election.

- Amar Singh Rai, the GJM candidate from Darjeeling, polled 95,386 votes to defeat his closest rival Saradha Subba of the TMC by a margin of 49,913 votes, with her polling 45,473.

- In Kurseong, GJM candidate and former MLA Rohit Sharma got 86,947 votes as against 53,221 polled by TMC candidate Shanta Chhetri, with the win margin standing at 33,726 votes.

- Kalimpong witnessed a close fight between GJM candidate Sarita Rai and JAP president Harka Bahadur Chhetri, with the former garnering 67,693 and the latter 56,262 votes. Rai managed to win by a margin of 11,431 votes.

Thursday evening saw euphoric scenes in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong as GJM supporters who had gathered near the counting centres started singing and dancing after the results were announced. In Darjeeling, GJM supporters burst firecrackers and distributed sweets. In Kalimpong, GJM president Bimal Gurung walked nearly 2km from the counting centre to Dambar Chowk distributing sweets, and in Kurseong, GJM supporters gathered at the railway station to celebrate and savour the moment of victory.

Bimal Gurung after  Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has won all the three seats from the three constituencies in the hills

The GJM welcomed the victory but party leaders appeared a bit thoughtful with the margin of win as in the previous election, each party candidate had won resoundingly over their rivals, by at least 1 lakh votes. The GJM president though reacted realistically to the outcome saying there were several things to be addressed. “We were confident about our victory as the people are with us. A win is a win nonetheless irrespective of the margin. However, we will definitely identify our lapses and mend them,” said Gurung in Kalimpong.

The GJM chief also congratulated TMC chief Mamata Banerjee for retaining power and expressed hope that the two sides could work together for the welfare of the hill people. Meanwhile, Chhetri, the JAP candidate and party president, expressed optimism at the outcome. “In such a short span of time we have received good response from the people. We could have fared better had the election been conducted fairly. However, our party was not formed for elections and as such we will continue to work for the people,” Chhetri said, adding his party would contest all elections in the hills henceforth.

Amar Singh Rai said, “We respect the decision of the people but we have observed that votes in favour of the opposition have increased in comparison to previous polls.” Political observers said the lower victory margin for the GJM was the outcome of several factors and it has cast a shadow on the GJM even in victory. “Overall, the GJM’s vote bank was affected by the formation of the community development boards and the TMC-JAP- GNLF alliance. In Kalimpong, the JAP played the separate district card to their advantage and managed to snatch votes,” an observer said.


Via: ECOI

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Gorkha Janamukti Morcha Wins all 3 Hill Constituencies in Assembly Election 2016

3:15 PM

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Trinamool Congress

19th May 2016 Gorkha Janamukti Morcha has won all three Hill Constituencies, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in Assembly Election 2016.‎ Morcha candidates Amar Rai won from Darjeeling Dr Rohit Sharma won from Kurseong and Sarita Rai from Kalimpong.

Amar Rai, Darjeeling Municipal Chairman, secured  95386  votes and won by 49913 votes in Darjeeling where TMC Sarad Rai Subba got 45473 votes.

GJM‬ candidate Sarita Rai with 67693 votes Won by 11431 vote at ‪Kalimpong‬ Constituency where she had to face a tough fight from former MLA Dr Harka Bahadur Chettri Jan Andolan Party ( JAP) with around 56262 votes.

Similarly, In Kurseong  Dr. Rohit Sharma was able to retain his Legislative Assembly seat. Dr Sharma got over 86947 and comfortably won by 33726 votes. Shanta Chhetri for All India Trinamool Congress got around 53221 votes from the constituency.

 GJM candidates Amar Rai won from Darjeeling, Dr Rohit Sharma won from Kurseong and Sarita Rai from Kalimpong.

With GJM winning in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, Congress is winning in Matigara, Phansidewa and Islampur and CPI(M) winning in Siliguri there is no trace of TMC in Darjeeling District.

The tie up of GJM & BJP secured the alliance a total of seven seats in West Bengal, the best so far for BJP in the state. While BJP won Kharagpur and Baisnabnagar, its alliance with GJM sealed the victory in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Kalchini and Madarihat.

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State government not co-operating with the GTA - GJM to Governor

10:24 AM

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West Bengal

Writes Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Feb. 5: The GTA today invited the governor to inaugurate two college buildings in the hills and address a session of the GTA Sabha at a time the hill body's relations with the chief minister have touched an all-time low.

A four-member delegation of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha called on governor Keshari Nath Tripathi at Raj Bhavan in Calcutta today and complained about the state government's alleged non-co-operation with the GTA.

Speaking over the phone from Calcutta, Morcha general secretary and GTA executive sabha member Roshan Giri, who led the team, said: "We have requested the governor to inaugurate the buildings of Mirik College and Bijanbari Degree College (built by the GTA). We have also appealed to him to address a GTA Sabha session in May. The governor has asked us to send him formal invitation letters."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Roshan Giri (left) General Secretary GJM

The GTA's tentative plan is to invite the governor to inaugurate the college buildings on February 28.

Morcha Study Forum member Swaraj Thapa, former Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma and GTA executive sabha member R.B. Bhujel were in the delegation.

The Morcha also complained to the governor against the state government's alleged apathy towards the hill body.

"Following the devastation caused in the hills by the earthquake and landslides last year, we had submitted an estimate of Rs 925 crore to the Centre. The Centre has released Rs 1,500 crore to the state disaster relief fund but we have not been given a single penny. We are unable to undertake even rehabilitation work in the hills," Giri said.

The Morcha leader also said that for Rs 55-crore drinking water schemes launched by the GTA, the government had only released Rs 28 crore. "As a result, we cannot complete the projects," said Giri.

He added: "Although the government had issued a notification to transfer departments such as land and land reforms, public works, food and supplies, and fire and emergency services to the GTA, the order was not implemented and employees are still reporting to the district administration. We told the governor about the dual administration."

The Morcha leader said the state had not allowed the GTA to function properly even three-and-a-half years after the hill body had come into existence. "We apprised the governor of all these issues as he is the constitutional head of the state and also administered oath to the chief executive of the GTA," said Giri.

The hill leaders had a long list of complaints against the state government. "Ninety per cent of the GTA employees are temporary. How can a body function with majority of casual employees. Formation of bodies such as the school service commission, college service commission and sub-ordinate selection board for the GTA as have been agreed upon by the Centre and state has not yet happened. Voluntary teachers are being forced to run educational institutions," said Giri.

He said the government was not even willing to sit for tripartite talks. "The last tripartite meeting was held in January 29, 2015," said Giri. A tripartite meeting scheduled for February 3 this year didn't take place and the Morcha has alleged that the talks didn't happen because of the state government's unwillingness to attend it.

Source Telegraph

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Bimal Challenges Mamata to Contest From the Hills

8:33 AM

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Roshan Giri

Bimal Gurung, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief, yesterday dared Mamata Banerjee to contest from one of the three Darjeeling hill seats in the coming Assembly elections, saying he would then prove a point to the chief minister.

" Abhi main unko request karna chahunga ke anewala MLA chunao mein in tino mein se ek seat me unko larna chahiye. Tab main dikhaunga (I am requesting her to contest from one of the three seats from here. Then I will show her)," Gurung told journalists at Sukna this evening where he had come to attend the final of a football tournament organised by a local sport association.

The three hill constituencies are Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. The Morcha won all three seats in the last Assembly elections but right now holds none of the seats.

Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the Kalimpong MLA resigned from the Morcha but not from his seat, making him an Independent MLA.

Chhetri, who has announced that he plans to float his political outfit on January 27, by not quitting the seat violated a Morcha whip to its three MLAs to quit their seats to protest the state's high-handedness.

Of the other two MLAs, Rohit Sharma, who was the Kurseong legislator, gave up his seat as the party had instructed.

Trilok Dewan, the Darjeeling MLA quit the House seat and the party. Both Chhetri and Dewan said Gurung was dictatorial.

In the hills, Trinamul has found few takers because it is not perceived to be a local outfit.

Since quitting the party, Chhetri has started campaigning against the Morcha and was seen on the dais with the chief minister during her recent visit to the hills last week.

Asked if he was throwing a challenge to Mamata, Gurung ridiculed her dream to turn Darjeeling to Switzerland.

"Unko itna pasand hai na Darjeeling. Switzerland banayenge, aur kya banayenge. Switzerland to nahi bana, Murdaland ban raha hai (She loves Darjeeling so much. She wants to make it Switzerland and what not. Switzerland is a far cry, this is becoming a wasteland)," he said.

"Whenever she visits Darjeeling, she gives us sorrow and pain. It seems her only work is to visit Darjeeling. There is no development in Bengal, and for Darjeeling, it is divide policy. So far, she has done nothing for the hills," he reacted, when he was asked about the formation of development boards of different sections hill communities.

Accompanying Gurung to the outskirts of Siliguri were Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri and Rohit Sharma.

The Morcha leaders will also attend the organisation's Terai unit's meeting at Dagapur on Monday.

"We will attend our organisation's Terai and Siliguri sub-divisional committee's meeting tomorrow. We are going to reshuffle it. As the Assembly polls are approaching, it is obvious that we have to work on our organisation as well, so that it can function in the plains also," Gurung said.

After Chhetri's departure from the party, two of the Morcha's central committee members from Matigara-Naxalbari area resigned from the party.

The Morcha chief's recent tour in the plains and reshuffling plans for the party's Terai and sub-divisional unit are being done to keep its support base intact in the plains as well, sources said.

Source: Telegraph

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Dr. Rohit Sharma on Non-Inclusion of Nepali as Optional Paper in WBCS

9:28 AM

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West Bengal

"Non-Inclusion of Nepali as Optional Paper in WBCS Reflects Bengal's Attitude Towards the Hill People" - Dr. Rohit Sharma.

Slamming the non-inclusion of Nepali as an Optional paper in WBCS, former Kurseong MLA Dr. Rohit Sharma has called for collaborative protests against this blatant act of discrimination. 

Speaking to the Press, Dr. Sharma stated, "I raised this issue in the legislature numerous times, I raised this issue with Mamata Banerjee, with the Home Secretary, with the Chief Secretary and Chairman of PSC West Bengal, and every time I raised this issue, they assured me that in 2016 WBCS examinations, Nepali will be added as an optional paper. But look at this, once again they have deceived the hill people and neglected our concerns... this shows the discrimination that we have to suffer... I condemn this whole heartedly."

Last year Dr. Sharma had placed three demands in the legislature:

1. Introduction of Nepali as an Optional paper in WBCS
2. Appointment of a Gorkha intellectual as a member of the West Bengal PSC, in order to ensure fairness of the interview process, and
3. Shifting of WBCS mains examination center from the plains to the hills, so that the hill students do not have to suffer.

Despite repeated assurances from Bengal government officials, none of these demands have been fulfilled. 

Dr. Sharma stated, "The blatant discrimination against our language and our people needs to be condemned widely and all the hill people should speak against this with one voice..."

He further said that, "I will continue to fight for this cause and I will not rest till the demands I have met are fulfilled."

It is a matter of great sadness that other than Dr. Rohit Sharma no one else has spoken out against this issue. From "intellectuals" like Dr. Mahendra P Lama to Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri... from political parties like GNLF to CPRM and ABGl, no one has even said a word against this issue. 

Forget public figures, even the students organizations such as GJVM, SFI, NSUI, Chattra Parishad or Youth organizations like GJYM, DYFI, Youth Congress, TMC Youth no one has spoken out.

Via TheDC

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Nepali Again Not Included as an Optional Paper in WBCS

7:52 AM

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WBCS

This is why we NEED ‪‎Gorkhaland‬ Nepali Again Not Included as an Optional Paper in WBCS

Writes Upendra for TheDC

Insanity is often described as “doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results,” going by this definition people in Darjeeling are certifiably insane, not all but those who side with Bengal and hope time and again that Bengal will treat them differently.

Here is the news flash – they won’t.

Last year in February we had highlighted the fact that despite Nepali being one of the National Languages of India, in West Bengal, Nepali was not placed as an optional paper for West Bengal Civil Services.

Thanks to our readers, there was enough outrage, leading the Darjeeling MP Mr. SS Ahluwalai had raised this issue in the Parliament.

The then Kurseong MLA Dr. Rohit Sharma to take up the case of including Nepali as an optional paper in WBCS, and he tried his best, we have it on record that he raised the issue in the Bengal legislature, he raised the issue with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Education Minister of Bengal and also with the Chief Secretary and the Education Secretary of Bengal. All of these people assured and reassured Dr. Sharma and through him the Nepali speaking people that in 2016 Nepali will be included as an optional paper.

However, this year again, Bengal has conveniently left out Nepali from the list of optional papers that people can appear for [Details: http://bit.ly/1SJQ1Zk]

Last year when we had raised this issue, some of our “intellectuals” had questioned our motive and said, “It’s not an important issue.” Well may be not for the “intellectuals”, but for ordinary people like us, it is a matter of great significance. There are two issues here:

1. DISCRIMINATION 
In Darjeeling hills, Dooars and Terai each year thousands of students take up Nepali as an Honours or Elective subject, which means they specialize in Nepali. So when students are not allowed to pick up Nepali as an optional subject in WBCS, all these students are discriminated against, all these students are not allowed to be examined in the subject that is their strongest suit. Given which, the students do not stand a chance to compete to the best of their abilities, and these will forever continue to remain marginalized and treated as 2nd class.

The WBCS Main Examination consists of five Compulsory papers and two optional subjects – only one optional subject if applying for Group C and/or Group D – which the candidates have to choose from, from the list of given Optional Subjects.

For each optional subjects the candidates have to write two papers of 100 marks each.

This is where the Nepali students are discriminated against.

Say if someone took Nepali (Honours) or Nepali Elective in undergraduate or Masters level, and wanted to write IAS or WBCS, his/her natural choice of Optional Subject could obviously be Nepali.

While in IAS examination Nepali is included as an optional subject, but in WBCS you cannot select Nepali as an Optional paper.

Whereas, students who have studied English, Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu and Santhali – languages which are used in West Bengal, and even those who study Pali – which is declared as a dead language, or foreign languages such as Arabic, Persian, French have to face no such discrimination, and they can choose any of these languages as an Optional paper.

Sadly, the current format of WBCS leaves the Nepali speaking population of the Darjeeling hill region, Terai, Dooars and rest of West Bengal at a disadvantage.

In Bengal, Nepalis are ethnically the largest minorities, and by not including Nepali while including a dead language – Pali and three foreign languages Arabic, Persian and French which only a handful of students may learn each year, the Bengal government has shown that it treats us, and will continue to treat us as 2nd or 3rd class citizens.

For this reason, it is the DUTY of every Nepali speaking Indian, as well as equality and justice loving Indians to protest against this blatant act of discrimination on the part of West Bengal.

2. OUR RIGHTS
Language is what defines us, and gives us an identity, which is why our elders fought to get Nepali included as one of the national languages of India. However, despite the fact that Nepali has been recognized under the VIIIth scheduled of our Constitution since 1992, our language is still treated as 2nd class in Bengal. This translates to the fact that WE – the Nepali speaking have been, are, and will continue to remain a 2nd class citizen in Bengal.

Coming back to the point on insanity, I have a question for Hill Trinmool leaders, and also for Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri who seems to be best friends with TMC regime, and those who are supporting TMC due to Development boards... don’t you guys feel even a little ashamed or sad to see our community being discriminated against this way? Do you guys seriously think and feel that Bengal will treat you all with respect and as an equal? Don’t you think you guys should speak out against such forms of discrimination with one voice?

इतिहास सक्छि छ, बंगालले हामीलाई हेला गरेको, हामीलाई हेपेको, हामीलाई कान्छी आमा को छोरा-छोरि जस्तै गरि छुट्टाको... तर पनि किन तपाईंहरु बंगाल कोइ पछी कुदी रहनु हुन्छ? Isn’t what you all are doing, insanity? Even your children will suffer as a consequence, please do reflect on these facts.

To GJM and other hill oppositions, it is high time you all spoke out against this blatant act of discrimination. Last year all of you people remained quiet, including not even a peep from the Gorkha Janmukti Vidhyarthi Morcha. We hope that this year, all of you won’t remain quiet, and protest against WE – the Gorkhalis being treated as a 2nd class citizens.

Some of our readers pointed out last year that “if we want Gorkhaland then why should we care about WBCS?” We should care because, as long as Bengal refuses to allow Gorkhaland to be formed, it is their duty to treat us as equal citizens, and by repeatedly undermining our language they have time and again proven that for them we will always remain “Ora – the others.”

This incident is clear, very clear indication of why we not just want, but NEED Gorkhaland statehood.

बंगाल साँचै हाम्रो चिहान हो... बंगालमा हामी बस्नु सक्दैनौं !!

[Links from last year reports: http://on.fb.me/1YUOBivand http://on.fb.me/1uFs9ip andhttp://on.fb.me/1YUOHqm andhttp://on.fb.me/19gil4L and http://on.fb.me/1RAydkY]

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Morcha Doubt on GTA's Future

6:46 AM

•

Roshan Giri

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

A section of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership believes the state government is pushing the GTA to the brink of failure by dithering on transfer of various departments to the hill body although discussions are scheduled here next month.

After a meeting with top state government officials in Calcutta yesterday, GTA Executive Sabha member Roshan Giri had said principal secretaries of various departments would visit the hills in December and hold talks with executive directors of the departments concerned at the hill body on the Morcha's grouse that the transfer of various subjects was not done properly.

A Morcha leader who didn't want to be named today expressed doubt that if the government was serious about the autonomy of the GTA. "The decision taken by the state government to send the principal secretaries of different departments for discussions with the executive directors, who are heading the respective departments at the GTA, is a positive step. It has been three years since the GTA was formed and the delay in transferring the departments to the GTA makes us believe that the state government is pushing the hill body to the brink of failure," he said.

According to the GTA Act, 59 subjects need to be handed over to the hill body by the state government. The 59 subjects are clubbed together and turned into 40 departments.

The Morcha leader said although the government had issued 35 notifications on the transfer of almost all subjects to the GTA, the process was incomplete and the hill body was unable to exercise executive, financial and administrative powers over them.

He listed a few departments which the GTA has been unable to control. "Land and land reforms, PWD, fire and emergency services, minority affairs and madarsa education department, technical education and training (polytechnic), co-operation and disaster management are among the departments which were transferred to the GTA, but the employees and the assets are still with the state government... such has been the attitude of the state government that while it has issued notification, the actual transfer has not taken place."

With the state government agreeing to send principal secretaries to hold meetings with GTA executive directors to discuss the bottlenecks, some Morcha leaders see some hope but are not over enthusiastic. "These meetings will be important for the GTA's future," said a Morcha leader.

Roshan Giri today said the principal secretaries were expected to come to Darjeeling before December 15. Asked if the bottlenecks in the departments' transfer would be removed, he said: "We will wait and watch the developments."

The next bipartite meeting between the GTA and the state government is scheduled to take place in Darjeeling on December 15.

Source: Telegraph

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GTA - Bengal Bipartite Meeting Today

12:03 PM

•

West Bengal

A four-member delegation of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today left for Kolkata for a bipartite meeting with the state government to discuss issues related to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. 

The delegation, led by GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, comprises central committee leaders Swaraj Thapa, R.B.Bhujel and former Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma, will raise issues including the appointment of voluntary teachers, transfer of departments, grant of tribal status to ten hills communities and establishment of a central university in the region, among others. Thapa, who is also a member of the GJM’s study forum, the intellectual wing of the party, said, “We will attend the bipartite talks with state government representatives at Nabanna tomorrow. The GTA principal secretary too will be present. We have about 14 points that need to be discussed so that the GTA is able to function properly and independently.” 

The Home and Hills Affairs department of the state government, through a written communication on October 31, had asked the GJM to attend the talks scheduled on Monday in Kolkata. The state government will be represented by the chief secretary and the home and hills affairs’ department additional chief secretary. 

The agendas pointed out in the stated government’s letter include transfer of departments, rules of business of the GTA, a multi-specialty medical college and hospital in Kurseong and other programmes of the Health Department. The issue of tribal status to the Gorkhas, re-introduction of the three-tier Panchayat System and Implementation of different developmental schemes, hill compensatory allowance to all GTA employees, subordinate service selection board, separate school service commission and college service commission for the GTA will figure in tomorrow’s talks. 

When asked if the delegation would take up the issue of state government interference in the running of the GTA, Thapa said, “When we discuss the issue of transfer of departments, this matter will also be a part of it. It is due to the departments not being transferred properly that interference is being seen in the GTA, we feel.” 

Relation between the GJM and chief minister Mamata Banerjee is at an all time low. The GJM allegation is that the CM is trying to divide the hill communities by setting up development boards and also interfering in the independent functioning of the council body. 

Source: EOIC, file pic

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"Just because of two Mir Jafars, Kanchenjungha will not melt to become the Bay of Bengal."

11:39 AM

•

Trilok Dewan

Morcha slams rebels
Writes Vivek Chhetri

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today indirectly equated the rebellion of Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Trilok Dewan with the action of Mir Jafar and claimed the two had signed a bond promising to resign as MLAs whenever the party directed them to do so.

Responding for the first time to the charges raised by Chhetri and Dewan, Binay Tamang, the assistant secretary of the Morcha, said in a press release today: "Just because of one or two Mir Jafars, Kanchenjungha will not melt to become the Bay of Bengal."

Mir Jafar had turned against his own people and helped the British win the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The Morcha had directed its all three MLAs, Harka Bahadur Chhetri (Kalimpong), Trilok Kumar Dewan (Darjeeling) and Rohit Sharma (Kurseong) to resign from the Assembly to protest the state government's alleged interference in the functioning of the GTA.

While Sharma toed the party line and resigned from the Assembly, Chhetri refused to do so and instead, quit the Morcha saying the leadership was acting in a dictatorial manner. Dewan resigned from both the Assembly and the party, and levelled same charges against the Morcha leadership as Chhetri.

From left Trilok Dewan and Harka Bahadur Chhetri who resigned from GJM

Both Chhetri and Dewan had said they hadn't been consulted before the leadership had decided on their resignation from the Assembly.

Tamang in the written statement said: "On March 14, 2011, a few moments before the names of the MLAs were announced at Darjeeling Gymkhana Club, Bimal Gurung had said that those getting the party tickets for the elections would have to resign from the Assembly on the direction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, irrespective of the time or the prevailing situation, for the cause of Gorkhaland and the general good of the people of the hills. Gurung had also stated that if the need arose, the legislators would have to sit on a hunger strike in front of the West Bengal Assembly."

The Morcha assistant secretary, however, said only Rohit Sharma had kept the promise like a true Gorkha. "Only Dr Rohit Sharma has shown integrity and kept his promise like a true Gorkha and has worked in the interest of Gorkhaland and the people of the hills. Before tendering his resignation, he also raised the issue of Gorkhaland and his deeds will be written in golden letters," said Tamang.

Indirectly accusing Chhetri and Dewan of looking after their self-interest, Tamang said: "Dr Rohit Sharma did not look for personal interest."

Chhetri admitted that he had signed the bond. However, he said: "Signing a bond does not mean that I have to accept all the wrongs as right. It would be better for the Morcha to not talk about commitments as Bimal Gurung himself had said he would get Gorkhaland by March 10, 2010 or else, he would shoot himself."

The Kalimpong MLA said he hoped that the party would learn from the past.

"The party should have a group of 7-10 people who discuss and take decisions. At the moment, whatever Bimal Gurung dreams the night before is announced as the party decision the next day. The central committee, which has over 90 members, has become a place where all those people who do not fit in other panels are admitted. There are no criteria for one to become a central committee member in the party," said Chhetri.

Source Telegraph

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